


Ten Months

by abrokenpieceoftruth



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:58:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6698338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrokenpieceoftruth/pseuds/abrokenpieceoftruth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snapshots from each month of River's pregnancy. Set directly after Demon's Run for the Doctor and directly before Demon's Run for River.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A quick note on the chronology: I say this is canon compliant because the entire pregnancy takes place in the mid-season break after A Good Man Goes to War, so theoretically it could work. The Doctor has done Demon's Run already, and River's last chronological episode was The Wedding of River Song (making Demon's Run next in her timeline). 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! ^.^

_One_

River was transfixed. The TARDIS monitor shimmered calmly, revealing a dream and a nightmare, inexplicably, impossibly, come to life. Her frozen features showed no hint of emotion, but when she spoke, her voice trembled.

"How did this happen?" she whispered. " _When_ did this happen?"

The Doctor continued making gentle circles on her back. "I . . . I don't know," he replied. "It might not even have happened for me yet."

"But we're always so careful . . ."

He shrugged. "Not careful enough, I guess."

It had all changed in a moment. An innocent and discreet scan—the Doctor kept tabs on his companions much more closely than they realized. Usually, there was nothing to note, but this time she had plowed into him, his pale face glued to the monitor. She had looked to the source of his distress and what she'd seen . . . she had seen . . .

A soft whimper escaped the distressed woman, and the Doctor turned her to face him. "You don't have to do this," he told her, his voice more serious than she had ever heard it. "Whatever you want—it's your choice."

River stepped back, hands moving protectively to her abdomen. "No. No, I couldn't." Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Doctor, you know I've always wanted this, but it's too dangerous—we're too dangerous, what with you jumping around in the wrong order and me in prison for the rest of my life." A new horror dawned on her. "Oh God, what if they find out? What if—"

"Shh . . ." the Doctor soothed. "They won't find out. We'll be careful."

"But we were careful _before_ —"

"River, please." She stopped, tears trailing down her cheeks. The Doctor wiped them away with his thumbs. "Everything is going to be alright, do you hear me? We just have to take this one day at a time."

She let out a slow breath, forcing her fears to dissipate with it. For better or for worse, she had made her choice—everything else was just noise.

But was it his choice? She had to be sure. "Together?" she asked.

"Together," the Doctor promised. In the silence that followed, a grin slowly grew until his entire face shone with happiness. River found her own smile matching his. She looked down at where her hand rested over the new life growing inside her, and a moment later the Doctor did the same, pressing his forehead against hers.


	2. Chapter 2

She looked up from her knitting at the sound of the TARDIS materializing. Her initial wave of excitement was displaced by another of caution, and she took a hasty glance around her cell to make sure all the parenting books the Doctor had foisted on her were out of sight.

But, her worry was needless. Her husband bounded out of the TARDIS like an excited puppy and asked "How many months?"

River sighed with relief—she didn't like to think of hiding such a big secret from his younger versions. "Two," she said, putting her yarn away. "And how long has it been for you, a day?"

"Two," he answered with eagerness not befitting the question.

Laughing, she rolled her eyes. "Sweetie, I know it's exciting, but you've still got ten months left—if you keep this up for that long, you're going to give yourself an aneurysm."

The Doctor huffed. "I hate waiting." Then his face lit up.

"Don't even think about it," River preempted.

But his glee couldn't be contained. "Then come with me!"

"We've been over this!" The Doctor's forehead creased in confusion. "Or haven't we?" He shook his head. A connection snapped into place. "How long did you say it had been?"

"Two days," he responded.

She smirked and pointed toward the bed. "I've been waiting for you. Sit."

Bewildered, he did as she said.

"Rule number one," she began. "You do not get to cheat and skip to the end." To his annoyed frown she retorted, "If I have to stick this out, so do you.

"Second: You can’t take me with you. You—past you—already came and visited me here during these ten months, you just didn't realize the significance. So, I have to be here to meet you."

He gave a grudging nod—he hadn't really been paying attention to dates when he'd visited her before, so it was certainly possible.

"Third:" She took an even more serious tone. " _No spoilers._ Not a word. I don't want to know the gender, I don't want to know the name, I don't want to know if I look like a whale in six months. In fact, this entire period of time is banned to you once you meet the baby. For once in my life, I would like every moment to be a surprise."

He was started by the emotion in her voice and quickly promised to do as she asked.

"Good." Abruptly she dropped her almost-frown for a slightly worrying grin. "Now, since you're already on that bed . . ."

The Doctor liked this part much better.


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor held her hair back as she emptied what little was in her stomach into the toilet. After a few dry retches, then some heavy breathing, she moved to the sink to rinse out her mouth, the Doctor hovering worriedly over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't realize the waffles would make you sick, I just—"

River cut him off with a sigh. "It's not you, sweetie. This happens every morning." To the Doctor's dismay, her mouth began to wobble, and before he could say anything she collapsed into his arms, body heaving with sobs. For a moment he was too stunned to react, but then he held her tightly, whispering soothing words into her ear. 

A minute passed before she pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm s-sorry," she said, forcing out a laugh. "I d-don't know what came over me."

"Oh, River . . ." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "Don't apologize, dear. I'm the one who should be sorry—I should have known you'd have morning sickness by now." With a sigh, he said "Promise you'll let me know next time you're feeling ill?"

Smiling sadly, River nodded, and hand in hand they stepped into the next room.

"Now," the Doctor continued, sitting her down on the couch, "Do you want anything? Crackers? Water?" His eyes lit up. "I could make pancakes with whipped cream smiley faces!" To his horror, River once again burst into tears, and in a panic he dropped to his knees in front of her. "River! What did I say?"

"Everything," she wept, pulling him into her arms. "Never leave me, my love," she said. 

"Never," he responded softly.

Soon her sobs subsided, even though they both knew he had lied.


	4. Chapter 4

"How do I look?" River asked, waltzing into the console room.

The Doctor gaped. "Yowzah." Her sleek blue gown hugged her curves and peaked open to reveal her legs when she walked.

River laughed. "Thank you, sweetie, but I meant, is it working?"

"Absolutely," he replied without hesitation.

She swatted him playfully. "The filter, sweetie!"

"Oh." He squinted, tilted his head, moved to her side, and experimentally poked her newly flat abdomen

"Working perfectly," he said, straightening.

In recent weeks, River had had a difficult time fitting into her clothes. This was to be expected, of course, but it was symptomatic of a more urgent problem: she was beginning to show. And while the Doctor never appeared to be paying attention, they both knew that he kept very close tabs on his companions. Even in a fractured timeline, he would recognize a sudden weight gain. But the filter River was wearing around her waist bent the light around her so that even in her later months, the bulge would be entirely undetectable. Well, mostly undetectable.

"Oh, now this will be fun!" she declared in sultry tones. "I can go to bars, dance, flirt with all the boys—"

"You do realize _I'm_ the one who takes you to these places, right?"

"—and no one will ever know that I'm pregnant!" she finished. "Especially you," she added pointedly.

"Have you met many of me, yet?" he asked, adjusting the controls. "Younger me, that is."

"A few," she said, circling the console. "It's cute, really—you're so shy and awkward—all gangly limbs. You haven't a clue what you're doing. And, of course, no idea what you've done!" She laughed. "This must be how you feel when you pick me up from—" She halted. "Oh my God."

The Doctor's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong?"

" _You_!" She whirled around to face him, laughing in shock. "You secretive bastard—you knew the whole time!" 

He held up his hands. "Guilty as charged."

"My God, the conversations we had!" she continued. "And me—fool I was, I had you pegged as a daring adventurer, when really you're married with a kid on the way."

"Hey!" 

Sensing his wounded pride, she planted a kiss on his lips. "Oh don't worry, sweetie. You're still an adventurer to me." She giggled again. "But, this wasn't quite the adventure I had in mind on Luna."


	5. Chapter 5

_Five_

"Sweetie?" River said into the receiver.

"You told me once never to call you," began the Doctor on the other end of the line. "But I think that's a silly rule. I mean," he continued without pause, "I could be anywhere, and you could be anywhere, and we don't have to go through all the trouble of leaving each other secret messages!" His grin was almost audible. "Isn't that great?"

"I suppose so," River answered. "But have you considered that there might be a good reason I told you not to call me?"

"Rubbish," the Doctor scoffed. "What else are phones for?"

"Well I don't know," she said, steel creeping into her voice, "but I'm sure you must have an idea because you got me my mobile specifically so I could call you if I needed anything, and you have yet to answer me."

The other end of the line got very quiet. "Well," the Doctor choked out. "You know, sometimes I just get . . . busy. Anyway!" River smirked at the forced cheerfulness. "If my calculations are correct, then you've done Branaga, yes?"

"No."

"Oh." There was a rustling of pages. "Then, er, what about Princess Kate?"

"Try again, sweetie."

"More rustling. "The Autotrons?"

"No . . ." She frowned. Why was this taking so long? If he knew about the pregnancy, he would have asked how many months along she was, so he must be relatively young. But then they shouldn't be having this much trouble . . .

On the other end of the line, the Doctor had stopped breathing. "River," he said slowly. "Please tell me you've done Demon's Run."

"No, not since I was born . . ." she trailed off. "Doctor, what have you done?"

When he spoke again, his voice was an octave higher. "Oh, nothing, dear, just a little miscalculation—well, kind of a big miscalculation, actually, but no harm, no foul!" He laughed weakly. "So, er, I'll just be popping off, then—"

"Doctor . . ."

"—just . . . take care of . . . yourself, and, er—"

"You've already had the baby."

"Can't hear you!" His voice could have shattered wine glasses. "Must be something wrong with the TARDIS. Bad TARDIS!" River could hear the machine whine in response.

"I'm going to kill you, sweetie."

"Love you too, dear!" the Doctor squeaked. "I'll come visit in . . . er . . ." 

"Five months," she growled. "And not a moment before, understand?"

"Five months," he repeated weakly, then he hung up.

River tossed her phone on the bed in frustration only to turn around and find the Doctor standing behind her. Before he could get a word in, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back into the TARDIS. "New rule, sweetie: never call me."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay, things have been crazy around here. Hopefully I'll be updating a little more regularly in the weeks to come ^.^

The Doctor waltzed into her cell with a goofy grin and a plate of food.

River gave him a puzzled look. "Sweetie, what is that?"

"I've brought home the bacon!" he pronounced eagerly, but then he faltered. "I mean, it's not literal bacon—or even metaphorical bacon, really—and I definitely wouldn't call this home . . ."

With a sigh, River marched over to look for herself. Unfortunately, it didn't clarify a thing. "Pizza?"

"Pizza!" the Doctor confirmed, displaying it proudly. "With pineapples, anchovies, and extra cheese, just like you said."

River snorted. "Doctor, that's sweet, but there are two problems. One, it's 10 o'clock in the morning." He looked sheepish. "Two—" she crossed her arms, but she really couldn't help but smile— "that was the middle of last week."

He gulped. "Oh." He looked down at the box in his hand. "Well . . . do you still want some?"

A number of things could have happened here. She could have glared at him. She could have laughed. She could have sighed and told him that cravings didn't tend to last this long and eating it now would more than likely make her sick. On any other day, with any other mix of hormones coursing through her body, she might have done any of those things. That day, she in fact did all three, then followed him into the TARDIS, slice in hand.

Five minutes later, she was very glad she did. Because if she had said or done anything else, she wouldn't have been snuggled up against her husband, satisfied after their meal, only to be interrupted by a soft tap.

In unison, they locked eyes.

"Did you feel that?" River asked, hushed.

The Doctor nodded with wide eyes. Delicately, he placed a hand on her swollen belly and was soon rewarded with another tiny punch. This time, the parents-to-be looked up not in shock, but pure joy.

"That was a kick!" The Doctor exclaimed in a whisper. River nodded, her eyes full to the brim, and the Doctor was surprised by her display of emotion. "Haven't you felt kicks yet?"

"Not real ones," she replied, full of awe. "Not as strong as this."

Wonder crossed the Doctor's face. "Do you mean . . . have we managed to do something _together_? No spoilers, no crisscrossed timelines?"

And with that, the dam broke. River collapsed into the Doctor's embrace, and even he let a few joyful tears fall on her golden hair while their child kicked happily between them.


End file.
